Tuesday, 26 April 2011

This Chocolate Guinness Cake is always a favourite in our home and I love any opportunity to bake it. I tend to make this cake for St Patricks Day but this is the second year I have made the decadent and luscious cake for Easter. I think it looks really pretty with the mini eggs dotted on top and I was lucky to find packs of teeney weeney mini eggs in my local supermarket which I thought would look cute. The cake delivered as usual, being a big hit with my family on Easter Sunday and my in-laws taking a big chunk of it home with them. I am entering my cake into Julia's 'Easter Cake Bake 2011' over at 'A Slice of Cherry Pie'.

This weekend will have been the last time I will get to sample such delights for some time. As I am getting serious about losing weight and Weight Watchers isn't doing it for me anymore. From yesterday I am embarking on the Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet, which is a high-protein low-carb diet. I have read great reviews about this diet and how much weight you can lose. I am excited and looking forward to seeing the results and being slim again! This does not mean I won't be baking for hubby but I also plan on blogging some of the recipes from the diet cookbook. Wish me luck!

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180˚C/fan oven 160˚C. Line a 23cm/9inch springform tin. Start by pouring the Guinness into a large, wide saucepan and add the butter; heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with eggs and vanilla and then pour in the pan of brown, buttery, beer and finally whisk in the flour and bicarbonate of soda.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it's quite a damp cake.

When the cake's cold sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and then beat them both together. Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency.

Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint. Sprinkle with mini eggs.

Yummy-looking cake, Maria. Good luck with the diet - is so hard losing weight when you love to bake! I was finally successful with weight watchers and managed to lose almost 4 stone over 18 months. My trick was not to be too strict with it and allow myself treats occasionally! I'll be looking forward to hearing about the recipes on the new diet - always keen to find new healthy options!

What a gorgeous cake! I think I will try it; I have never tried a Guinness cake before. Good luck with the diet - you have my empathy; I just love baking and it's difficult not to eat the goodies so I too have put on weight.

This cake looks lovely, how does the guinness taste in the cake?. I'm tempted to buy Nigella's feast when I get my bursary. Would you recommend this book? It's either Nigella feasts or Nigella's how to eat.

About Me

Hello and Welcome to The Goddess's Kitchen!
My name is Maria and reside in Surrey, UK. I'm a full time domestic goddess (thanks to my hard working hubby), wife and mother (I love my work). I'm also a nannie to my beautiful grandson called Ollie, who I just love to bits! My other babies are my 2 beautiful but spoilt kitties, Madison and Coco. My passion is cooking and baking and my kitchen is my sanctuary. I love being able to share my love and joy of food with my family, friends and fellow foodie bloggers. I confess to having a "slight" amazon addiction and love to browse and buy beautiful cookbooks and own over 200 cookbooks, a collection which grows regularly!